Michael Fitzgerald filed to run for a three-year seat on the Ketchikan City Council. There are three 3-year seats and one 1-year seat up for grabs in the upcoming municipal election.
The council serves as the city’s legislative power and is responsible for creating ordinances and approving the city budget. It’s made up of a mayor and seven council members.
KRBD’s Hunter Morrison spoke with candidate Michael Fitzgerald about his goals and priorities if elected to office.
Hunter Morrison: First things first. Why are you running, and what are you running for?
Fitzgerald: I’m running for one of the three-year seats for the city council. And I’m running because I’ve been watching the city council at work and feeling like I might be able to do a good job of helping to hold people accountable.
Morrison: Gotcha. And what will be your priorities if elected?
Fitzgerald: Well, my priorities will include trying to make tourism be something that works for the community rather than have the community work for tourism. I think that that represents the goose that laid the golden egg here in this community, and we need to be making sure that the money that is generated from that as much as possible stays in Ketchikan.
Morrison: If you’re elected, what is something you would like to do on the city council?
Fitzgerald: Well, I really would like to also be involved in the health board that overlooks the workings of the relationship between the city and the hospital. I worked at the hospital for over 30 years and feel like I have some insight in how to make that relationship be a little more accountable.
Morrison: What leadership roles or community involvement would you say makes you equipped for this role?
Fitzgerald: Well, you know, I served on the school board many years ago for three or four years. I’ve always had active leadership responsibilities in my duties at work. Like I said, I worked at the hospital and managed the long-term care unit there for quite some time, and then was a supervisor thereafter. I’ve always had responsible positions within my church community, and you know, long-term resident just to kind of learn how things work.
Morrison: And aside from what you’ve already mentioned, what is something that you’d like listeners to know about you?
Fitzgerald: Well, I think Ketchikan is the greatest place in the world to live. I, along with many other people, like to say I got here as fast as I could. It’s where I raised my family. It’s been a wonderful community, and I think that it is capable of regaining some of the past glory that it’s had. Maybe not with having some of the same industries return, but I think it’s going to be important for us to attract and keep and make this a place to live for young families once again, with a thriving, multifaceted economy. So, I think that’s possible, and we need to do the things necessary to make that return.
Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution.
